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February, 1968

Volume 27

Number 2

Iowa's Pheasants

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Iowa's hardy pheasants ean withstand winte r weather if good cover is available.

By Richar<l Nomsen Game Biologist

How often have you heard and read about "habitat improve­ment," "habitat restoration," and "game habitat," durmg the past

year ? Wha t did you lhink about young. But , as the title indicates, s tead windbreaks during the blus­- or more important, what did you this ar ticle is concerned with win- tery winter months. When bliz­do ? Game habita t includes all ter cover for pheasants. zards occur, windbreaks will often types of cover such as escape In much of Iowa's primary mean the difference between sur­cover, nesting cover, winter cover, pheasant range, the pheasants ex- vival and death of pheasants on cover for food, and cover to rear il~tence depends upon the farm- the farm.

\Continued on pasre 10)

Page 10

Iowa Cons ervationis t Vol. 27 February, 1968 No 2 Published monthlv by the lowo Conservatic n Comm,ss1on, Eosl 7th Street ond Court Avenuel Des Moines, Iowa 50308. Address all mai (subscriptions, chongc of address, Form 3579, monuscripts, moil items) to above address

Subcriplion pdcc: two yeors ot $1.00 Secol'ld cless postoge peid ot

Des Momes Iowa (No Rig i-ts Rese•ved)

HAROLD E HUGhES Governor E B. SPEAKER, D1redor DAVID EVANS Ed lor JACK KIRSTEIN, Photogropher RUSSELL NELSON. Photogropher MARY STAHOWICK, Associote Editor JULIUS SATRE C r ul, t on

MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION MIKE F ZACK C~ ' m on Mason Cilv JAMES R. HAM.LTON, "''"e .... aorman __ .

Storm Lole EARL E. JARVIS Wilton Junction KEITH A. McNURLEN ···- Ames LAURENCE N. NELSON __ Bellevue WM. E NOBLE O('!lwe'n ED WE NHE tv!E~ G ee., .. ,..1

CIRCULATION ON THIS ISSUE 62,855

COMMISSION MINUTES

, ta tE" C'on ..,<' r nl lion Commis!>ion :\leeting 1-I<>Id in D E''> :\loine , I owa

Decembt"r 5 and 6, 1967 The purchase of 14 two-way

:\fotorola radio units was approved.

Fi..,h ancl Game The agreement with the Mar­

shall-Story County Board of Su­pervisors for the expenditure of $40,000 for road construction a.t the Hendrickson Marsh Area was approved

Land.., and \Va te r The Conservation Commission

approved a motion to make aware to the Iowa \Vater Pollution Con­trol CommissiOn 1ts concern w1th the various potential pollutants in the Brushy Creek and Volga River Lake Sites and request that th~'y move ahead as soon as possible in these areas to ehmmate pollu­tion problems before water is im­pounded.

A motion to approve the pro­jected five-year state park pro­gram, including those specific projects proposed for the year 1972 was made and seconded.

Granted the release of $50,000 in accumulated BOR monies to the Swan Lake State Park land acquisition fund

Accepted an option offered by the Union County Board of Super­visors on 2 06 acres of land adjacent to and within Green Val­ley Lake State Park.

Authorized proceeding as rapid­ly as possible to develop the north or upper end of Noble's Island for public use in accordance with the original desire of the donor.

County Conservation Board The request of the Des Moines

County Conservation Board to acquire 34 additional acres of land at their artificial lake s1te west of the town of Dodgev1lle was ap­proved.

The request of the Floyd Coun­ty Conservation Board to acquire .06 acre of land for the purpose of cooperating with the County

IOWA CONSERVATIONIST

} I 1stoncal Society in providing a county museum on Main Street in Cha1les City was approved

Hardin County Conservation Board recetved approval to acqwre :38 acres of timber land to be utilized as a wildlife habitat area and timber preser\'c located approximately 3 miles north of Steamboat Rock.

Appro\ al of the \\'innebago County C'onserYation Board's re­quest to acquire 20 additional acres of land as an expansiOn of their Florence Park Area located 4 miles west of the town of Thompson was granted.

Canoll County Conservation Bonn\ receiYed appro\·al of the rc\·ised development plan and re­p01'l prepared for the Swan Lake Park Area located approximately 2 1 •• mil<>s southeast of the county - . s<>a t town of Carroll

The reques t of the D<>laware County ConservatiOn Board for appro\ al of the development plan and report prepared for their Plum Creel< Park located approximately 1 :: mile south of E arlYille on Plum Creek was appro\·ed

The r equest of the S!lc County Conseryation Board fo r approYal to r eYise their development plan ancl t·eport for their Grant Pari< Area \vhich w1ll cons1st of m­stalling a four foot high low head rock rubble dam in the Coon R1ver approximately 11 2 miles northwest of Aubm·n was approYecl.

The Humboldt County Conser­vation Board received approval of their proposed de\·elopment plan and report prepared for their multiple use outdoor recreatiOnal area known as the Joe Sheldon Park 1 1

2 miles west of Humboldt and located on the west bank of the Humboldt-Des Momes River Dam impoundment.

Iowa Pheasants­(Continued from page !ll

Pheasants are hardy game birds and can easily \'\.'i thstand the rugged Iowa winters i f prop.-r cover i 'l available. Unfortunately, the number and quality of farm­stead windbreaks arc being re­duced each year. This is our prob­lem Now \\ha t can wo do about ' t ') I •

The Agricultural Conservation Program now includes several practices which are available to help landO\'Il1ers improve existing windbreaks or plant new ones. They are designed to protect wild­life and prevent wind erosion as well as improve the appearance of the countryside.

The H-3 practice provides for sharing the cost of planting new windbreaks They must contain a m1mmum of three rows and be protected from fire and grazing. A row or two of honeysuckle plus two or three rows of evergreens will provide the necessary protec­tion from cold winter wmds and blowing snow an effic1en t s hclte1 for wildlife The G-1 (A ) praclice

Dear Sirs: an article about hunting that way

Recently your editors wrote an Again I want to say that it wa~ excellent a rticle on duck hunting very good. on the ::>.t:ississippi River from a Now I \vant to ask a favor if l scull boat. may

First of all I want to commend \Vould you please send me thai your editor:-; for doing something particular 1ssue of the IO,VA Co~­different and then such a fine job :o;ERV \TIO!\ IST so I can show my of it friends and let you tell them what

As you can tell, I hunt from a scull boat d0\'111 below Davenport about 20 miles and enjoy it over all else

I am 23 yea rs old and have been hunting this way for about 10 \'ears \\ith mv older brother and . . in all that time I have never read

MARCH 17-23, 1968

I mean when I tell them I bunt ducks from a scull boat.

Thank you for your time and patience.

A member of the IOWA CON· SERV.\TIO~IST always.

D. T. Davenport, Iowa.

NATIONAL WILDLIFE WEEK-Today, men are learnmg how to

fly to the m oon, tour the world in supersonic jet liners and beam television waves from one side of the earth to the other \Ve have discovered how to save lives with miracle operations and live for months at a time on the ocean floor.

But are we learning to take care of the resources that make up this. the only world in which we shall ever live? Are we doing what is necessary to care for our environ­ment? With the 1 ise in air and water pollutiOn, hlter, and re­source waste, 1t appears that Americans have not yet realized the urgent need for conservation

People need to "Learn to Live with Nature" That J!'; the theme for National Wildlife Week 1968 \Ye need to understand the ways to protect our nation's resources and beauty

ConservatiOn educat10n holds the answers. It means teaching peo­ple how to care for the land, pro­tect wildlife, stop poisoning our streams and fouhng the air we breathe. It also teaches people to

take an interest in what others are doing to the environment the polluters and litter bugs.

Learning about conservation is like all other forms of Yital edu· cal1on; it should be required for our young people. Every school s hould conduct a program that teaches the ways and means of living with nature-not in spite of Jt.

_\l the same time. e\·ery adult should become conservation­minded, so that there will be enough of this beautiful and pro~ duclive country left for the next: generation While the s~hools are teaching the dangers of pollution and eros10n, the adult community should be working to keep our country a healthful place in which to live

ConservatiOn education is for everyone Begin by appreciating the many natural resources that bless th1s land. During National Wildlife Week, take time to con­sider how Important it is to "Learn to Live with Nature." Then tm­prove your understanding of con~ servation

provides for sharing the cost of vat10n project offers unlimited planting s hrubs around existing opportunity for the many sports­windbreaks. Several rows of men clubs, service organizations, honeysuckle around a windbreak 4-H Clubs, F .F.A. groups, Boy puts cover where it is needed- Scouts and interested individuals. close to the ground. Sub-zero Offer your help wherever it is winds and blowing snow are needed. stopped- providing a safe shelter H abi tat improvement is a long for next year's nesting birds. The term investment-results will not federal cost-share is 80 percent be apparent for several years. But up to $200 for the G practice and the importance of adequate winter $350 for the H-3 pract1ce \Ve now cover is evident and with fewer have the financing needed for this farms and more intensive agricul­job. ture in the future, the value of

However we still need you!

If we are to succeed, your help is a must to advertise, inform, create interest and to help with the actual planting This conser-

farm windbreaks as wildlife shel-ter will mcrease.

Rcm<'mber- its much too late for action once the blizzard starts

make plans for planting shrubs and trees next spring.

WHERE DID THE QUAIL GO­

by M. E. Stempel

Game Biologist "You can run the dog all you

Wa; .vant to, but there aren't any quail;

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he hunters shot them all last fall." This is a conclusion often put

nto words. But what do we really mow about quail populations and •ffects of hunting? Let's start Nith a situation where the above ;tatement could have been made. (t is late February and the shoot­ng season is closed, !Jut the quail Jog owner has stopped at the home )f a farmer-friend to ask permis-:;ion to run his dog and perhaps ' ind some quail.

The dog owner stopped here be­~ause he knew the farmer. Near the house, 21 red cattle grazed the last of the corn stubble.

Nearby, along the crumbling banks of the small dry creek, a jozen broken decayed willow trees nad surrendered to the years. Above the narrow creek flat there .. vas a barren pasture. The pasture ~lopes wore the grey-brown of ,;hort sparse grass and weeds along .vith a beggarly stand of thorn apple.

The Diminishing Quail Territory Everywhere in the midwest a

high percentage of good quail range has been destroyed, and it was replaced by grain or hay In 1937, there were 21,187,000 acres of Iowa cropland compared to about 23,000,000 in 1950. As crop­land increased the quail decreased m numbers, and this was noticed most in the heavily farmed areas. The losses were striking during years when winters were severe. In 1912, 1936, and 1960 we suffered disastrous winters characterized by over 70 days of snow cover, with drifts often 20 feet deep.

Severe winters proved to be more deadly than shooting, and in areas where quail had survived years of hunting, the harsh weath­er wiped out many populations. In some areas the quail never came back. However, in territory where some good cover remained, within two years after a bad winter, the quail built up very good popula-

..

IOWA CONSERVATIONIST Page II

tions. Now we heard the hearten­ing remark: "I saw quail where The Geode -Iowa's State Rock there were none for years." The year 1967 was a great one

The Hunter for the geode (pronounced ge'-While the hunter harvests a Ode). During that sess ion of the

portion of the quail, his take is legislature, the geode was pro­regulated by abundance or lack of claimed Iowa's official state rock. abundance of quail. A year of Particularly fascinating to rock abundance was 1963. There have hounds, geodes are found m banks been other good years, too, such as and cliffs, sand and gravel bars, 1944, 1958 and 1967 Conversely, and streams. Virtually every there were poor years such as stream in southern Iowa from 1953, 1955 and 1960. Though hunt- Ottumwa to Keokuk, and the Des ing was continued through all Moines River into which they flow, these years, the quail numbers con- will have a harvest of geodes. tinued to decline, then to climb, Technically described as a hoi­then to level off, and so on in a low concretion lined with crystals, similar pattern. Thus we note that the geode is normally found as a shooting has little, if any effect. nodule, often hollow, in sedlmen­If this is true, how can it be? tary rocks In Iowa these sedi-

Habits of the hunter will, to some mentary rocks are predominantly degree, regulate how much he limes tone. The inner surface of hunts and how many quail he the g eode shell is often covered shoots. He takes from one to three with layers representing success1ve birds per covey. But how about stages of depos1tion of agate and the hunters reported to shoot out other minerals which have selt.led an entire covey? This is sometimes out of solution. Predominantly said of individuals with good dogs. quartz, they may also show cry­Can they take an entire covey? stals of calcite, sphalerite, and Perhaps, but it would usually re- dolom1te. Other inclusions found quire a lot of time. say two or m Iowa geodes may be depos1ts of more hours per qua1l to get the millerite, goethite, bar1te, pyntes, runners and the strong flyers and marcasite, ankerite, aragonite, the birds that appear to leave no chalcedony, kaolin, limonite, and scent.

Then, if all that is true, can these men not take a lot of quail by sim­ply making many trips after the same covey? As an example of this possibility, let's see what ac­tually does happen. In 1959 when quail were plentiful, on seven farms in Wapello County 27 parties asked to hunt quail. In 1960 when birds were fewer after the de­structive winter. the hunting de­creased by 75 percent. Hunters take the easiest shooting, then they quit hunting. We Can Continue to Hunt Quail Iowa and other midwest states

have quail shooting seasons. This is possible because hunters take most of their quail from the seg­ment which would otherwise be lost to disease, age or to accident. How do we know? An example of this is in Ohio where quail hunting has been illegal for years; never­theless, populations varied just as they varied in states where quail could be shot. A limited shooting season was tried m Oh1o. A study of the wings of those taken re­vealed that only a few quail were over a year old just as is true in Iowa.

Qu ail are secure from weather or from hunters, in the best cover which is a mixture of dense grass, weeds, thorns and brush. This should be backed up by trees and ditches whose banks have over­hanging sod, and dry crevices. H ere, J anuary's icy 40-mile winds fling shctlike snow pellets harm­lessly against cover. Deadly, creep­ing cold of a winter night never penetrates into the small feet rest­ing on the dry, crumbly earth be­neath the overhanging sod of the creek bank. A quail flies into this secure cover as easily as he flies

The Geode-Our st a te rock.

FOR MORE GAME­THINK SMALL

Whether for "home consump­tiOn" or as a means of supplement­ing farm income, wildlife is a valued part of the rural scene, says Remington's game depart­ment. But many species have not fared well in the face of big farm­ing with big fields, big equipment and big cleanup. Many landowners would like to improve the lot of pheasants, rabbits and qua1l, but they are stymied by the same big­ness in thinking. Many farmers look upon game management as mvolvmg a major redesign of their fields, and they despair that big farming and game can go to­gether.

It's generally true that the bes,~o conditions for upland game arc

into a barren pasture. If we want better quail hunting, we must see that the birds have such cover.

Once in the dense cover, he runs or hides from the hunter in tangled bushes or twining grass which is backed up by the tall saplings. Re­member when you flushed that covey into such cover last fall? Did you shoot all of that covey?

on occasion amethys t quartz or pink calcite, and other minerals.

Not all geodes are collector's items. Many are solid quartz in­side and hence, stnctly speaking, not geodes inasmuch as geodes are defined as hollow concretions. The variations in size of geodes is tremendous, many of these round rocks being smaller than a golf ball and some larger than a beach ball. At the extremes , geodes may range from microscopic sized specimens to those weighing in the neighborhood of 400 pounds and over.

Occasionally, geodes are found to be partially or completely filled with oil. Collectors prize the abundant and often spectacular 2-inch to 4-inch sizes that are most likely to contam additional min­erals. Also prized are the scarce anhydros, or water filled geodes, which when found are usually not cracked open but left mtact .

A newly proposed theory on the formation of g eodes is that some prehistoric creature or plant. when caught in the formation of the sedrmentary rock that surrounds the geodes, decomposed leaving a cavity that later filled with min­eral bearing water. On crystaliz­ing out of solution, these minerals then formed first the chalcedony shell and later the inner crystals of the geode.

\\'hatever their origin, the geode 1s a fascinatmg creation sure to please the collector and layman alike. Additional minerals may often be observed by close scrutiny with a magnifying lens or micro­scope.

found on lands Lhal duplicate patch farming conditions of fifty years ago. But that doesn't mean that improvements are out of reach on modern-day farms that feature bigness and uniformity. Game management can be a lot of little things as well as a major overhaul of land use and practices.

L ine fences, access roads, drain­age-ways and field borders are part of the farm landscape-large or small. How these are handled can make a notable dtfference in conditions for wildlife. If you're a big-field farmer looking for low­cost, even no-cost, ways of jazzing up the game supply, take a fresh look at these peripheral sites.

If it has been your practice to mow such idle areas, consider this: Mowing costs time and money and in most cases serves no good purpose. Very few weeds are controlled by regular cutting. but the removal of s uch linear strips of cover can mean the dif­ference between having a covey of quail on the site and not having one.

A brushy fencelinc is of no liability to farming and cutting it out won't add a nickel to farm

(Continm•<l u n p age 15)

Pag e 12

·--

I OWA C ONSE RVATIONI ST

THINGS TO THINK By Wayne Lonning Photo9raphcr

Remove 9uns from closed ease s- it might save a bluin9 job. Make sure it 's unloaded, then clean thoroughly and oil.

Be sure bows are unstrun9 • . • if you don't have a bow rack, han9 your bow by

the string a s shown.

'

lr~ 'fl .f {I / I

IJ " . . . II Take reels apart, then clean thor oughly and lubricate. Watch for worn or broken parts.

Did you pull the drain plug on your boat? Pull the spark plug wires on your outboard If It 's stored outside this is a must . motor.

IOWA CONSERVATIONI ST

BOUT OR DO THIS INTER

Be ready for spring fishing. Organize your t a ckle now. Is th is thermos empty? Cheek camping a nd picnic gear now.

\

Spool line on a wood block and give it a chance to dry without rotting.

Page 13

What better time than now to plan a summer weekend a nd vacat ion fun.

l'hen • • • pull the starter cord 4 or 5 Batteries should be removed from unused times. This will keep Inner parts lubricated. camping lanterns and flashlights .

Page 14 IOWA CONSERVA T IONIST

OUTDOOR EDUCATION FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION

B y Arnold 0 . Ilaugen profe~!,Or, "ildlifo biology

IO\\ a ta to Unh er<;ity leader, l o\H\ Coopt•r a th e \""; ildlife

Re..,earch l nit , Ame..,, l o\\a THl'; SITl'ATIOX

In coloma! days when most peo­ple had to solve their own prob­lems. when they either lived by their wits or perished, outdoor education was a hand-me-down proposition Youngsters learned tricks of survival and comfort in the outdoors from their parents or from a woodsman neighbor. Liv­ing on and from the land as they did. "woods sense" came naturally. Survival depended on how well they had been teared by their par­ents. In a sense, then· learning about the outdoors was comparable to the learning of a brood of young wild turkeys The ability of these creatures to get along depends on the "woods sense" their mothers imparl to them.

In the pioneer era. there was little time for leisure. just long hours of hard work Some of the activttles we enjoy today as recrea­tion was a means of livelihood for them. Huntmg and fishmg are ex­amples. They lived in an era when even the closest neighbor was miles away, \\hen acttvtties that resulted in littering were also few, when pollution of atr and water was limited because settlements were few and scattered, and when resources of all kinds seemed in­exhaustible The land and other resources had really just been put to use, and misuse had not yet become noticeable. Hindsight now tells us that their foresight was

ve1 y linuled when it came to re­source use

Children of Vrban Ar<•a., Children today grow up under

vaslly different conditions than those of the last century. Now, nearly three-fourths of our people li,•c in urban areas. Crowding of people al times and places almost remind one of cattle on a feedlot. The mess we have made of many of our resources, the littering and pollution. and the seemingly un­concern for our decreasing and somcttmes wasted resources chal­lenges us to come up with a pro­gram to save people from their own thoughtless deeds.

Bee 1use roughly three-fourths of om children now arc bot n in ctlies and are reared on concrete and asphalt, and since a high per­centage of their parents also have been rca1 ed m cities. there is no longer a personal "feeling" fot the land and other resources. Parent­to-offspring education on the value of land and other outdoor re­sources is shockingly inadequate And, many of the old beliefs and practices once advocated are no longer applicable under present­day mtensive use procedures

Ctly people, through their voles. now control and in the future wtll exerctse even greater control over the use and conservation of out­door recreation resources These conditiOns make it doubly impor­tant that we trengthen our out­door education program. If we should fail to adequately educate youngsters about proper outdoor resource management and con­servation, we will be failing our

responsibility m life In a sense, our city-bred population of young­sters is ltke a brood of turkey chicks hatched m an incubator, raised in a wire pen without a "knowing wild mother" and then turned loose in nature where there is a strong likehhood that they will invite disaster from lack of ''knO\\·-how" to survive

The Ta~Jt Before Us The task of education in and

for the use of the outdoors is a colossal one. With an expected doubling of our populallon and the lnpling of the amount of leisure lime by the year 2000, our prob­lems will continue to multiply The mcreasing demand for outdoor recreation is putting a severe st1 ain not only on resources and facilities but also on trained man­agement and education personnel. At the same time, research effort seems to be gettmg farther and farther behmd in provtdmg facts needed for good management Recent experiences indicate that the increasing number of people who \\ish to spend more of their leisure time in the outdoors will need "leading-on" outdoor educa­tion experiences if they are to get lasting rewards from their activ­ity Education is also needed to help reduce thoughtless destruc­tive activities of those who use the outdoors either for leisure time activities or as a means for mak­mg a living

One of the greatest challeng.:os before us involves the training ot teachers in outdoor education and recreation for staffing universities, colleges, high schools and camps There is need for a scholarship and assistantship program to en­tice students with outstanding ability to enter the field of outdoor education-outdoor recreation and to assist those with most promise to stay m school to earn a doc­toral degree in this field. The avatlabthty of such graduates will do much to strengthen our teach­mg concernmg outdoor recreation resources. How can we most suc­cessfully inslill a sound outdoor resources philosophy in such lead­ers of tomorrow? We need help from many fields m the humanities and natural resources for this task

How can we best tram outdoor recreation managers so they will not over-develop and destroy our few remaining natural features or destroy existmg quality recreatiOn facilities in their eagerness to in­crease facilities for outdoor rec­reation? How can we best teach leaders that quality is equally as important as is quantity in out­door use?

Edueation

Some developers, tf gtven free rem, would extend roads into just about every remainmg btt of wild area and would encourage inten­sive use to a maximum. Educators must point Lbe way to avoid sacrificing all our wilder areas for outdoor recreation. They must en­courage people to seek better qual-

in and for use of the out -of-doors Is import an t t o all age groups. Myrtle ity in outdoor exper iences. They Miller photo.

must create a desire to preserve natuml features and wildland areas fm• the use of future genera­lions. The dollar s1gns and turn­style attendance counts that glit­ter in the eyes of some developers must be toned down to reflect satisfaction in terms of quality recreation wtth due consideration for generations to come. This is a place where a bit of self denial will have real virtue. Recreation resources need the Good Samari­tan treatment. too

Improving Outdoor kills Leaders m outdoor recreation

have a great opportunity to im­prove the physical well being of people. They have a real oppor­tunity to ( 1) promote wise use of the out-of-doors, l 2 ) to make ex­periences in the out-of-doors a pleasure as well as physically and mentally rewarding for everyone and 1 3 l to help people make wise use of their leisure time. Through a planned program they can acquaint people with the many pleasures and benefits of a wide range of outdoor recreation acliv­i tics and help them gain pro­ficiency and a knowledge of safe practices in the various recrea­tional activities.

Activities that \viii help people gel more lasting benefits from out­door recreation include: Field and tat'gel archery. bait and fly cast­ing. bowling on the green, rifle marksmanship, skeet shootmg swimming, hiking. mountain climb­ing. horseback riding, bicycling, golfing, tennis, boating (sailing, canoeing. rowboating, motorboat­ing), water skiing (including safety), skiing, tobogganing. lapi­dary, nature study, predator call­ing and stalking game for hunting and nature photography. These are recreational activities that have "leading·· values that can be rewarding throughout much of one's life, regardless of the sex or age of the participant

As the efforts and results of outdoot· education increase, re­soul ce development for recreation is expected to increase on the state, county, city and private level. Paralleling thts mcrease wtll be an increasing need for resource­use consultatiOn servtces Thts \VIII

necessitate that each have at least one outdoor recreation resource use center to which people and orgamzations can go for help and information. A university center where people can go to consult with staff spectaltsts is a must. Such a center is also the logical place for workshops and in-service Lrainmg sessions for personnel in­volved m outdoor education and recreation activity.

eed Program X O\\

A research program in outdoor educatiOn and recreation should be imtialed without delay. There is great need for informalton on how Lo encourage people to want quali Ly experiences, to change altitudes on outdoor use, to make

(Cuntinued on page lG)

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=oxes Have Little :ffect on Pheasants

South Dakota's three-year-old >redator prey study shows foxes tave no significant effect on pheas­mt numbers, the Game, F1sh and >arks Commission was told here.

Fred Priewert, chief of game or the South Dakota Department 1f Game, Fish and Parks, said the ·esult so far in the five-year study ~enerally corroborate predator­>rey relationship studies m ade in 1ther states.

South Dakota's $50,000 a year .tudy is termed the most compre­tensive ever carried out.

The study was set up to deter­nine if intensive control of pre­lators might boost the s tate's agging pheasant population. The ssue has boiled for years in South )akota.

The department m 1964 estab­ished four study umts m the fox­lheasant study. Each unit m ­ludes two 100-square mile areas, \ith foxes extensively controlled n one of the areas and uncon­rolled in the other, termed a check" area. Although there were variations

rom year to year, the three-year esults show pheasant population hanges varied little between

1reas where foxes were controlled md the check areas where there vas no control.

Carl Trautman , Brookings , LSSistant chief of game in charge 1f research, said the fact that the >heasant population did not sub­tantially mcrease in the fox-re­luction areas over that of the heck areas indicates that other actors, such as habttat. control >heasants.

During the same three-year tudy period, foxes declined 85

>ercent on the reduction areas lue to intensive predator control. 3ut fox numbers also dropped on ·heck areas. Trautman said the lecrease, amounting to 60 percent, vas due to natural causes.

T he jack rabbit population in­~reased a total of 435 percent on he areas where foxes were con­rolled, compared with 163 per­·ent on the uncontrolled check Lreas.

Small mammals, principally nice, also increased on both the ·eduction and check a reas.

T rautman said fox food habits tave changed considerably on the tudy areas as rabbit and mouse >opulations increased and while >heasants remained relatively table.

In relation to what foxes were ·ating in 1965, he said, analysis 1f fox stomachs showed a 51 per­·ent increase in consumption of nice, a 78 percent increase in rab­>its and a 60 percent decrease in >heasants.

"It appears that the fox is an •pportunist and preys on the

IO WA CO N S E RV AT IO N IS T

species that are most abundant and most readily available," T raut­man said.

Priewert said more study is necessary on the predator-prey question.

"With accumulation of more data, we will be reasonably certain of our conclusions and should be able to settle the question of the effectiveness of predator control in relation to the pheasant popula­tion," he added.

In addition to the control and check areas, a third area was established in each of the units in 1966 to have intensive control of all predators, including skunk and raccoon . Trautman said limited mformation is available from the s tudy of the third area.

DON'T LITTER The shoreline looks lovely from

the middle of the lake when you're on a boat. It's not quite so nice for the people on shore. They have a view of the leftovers care­lessly tossed overboard by boat­ers. Please join the Keep America Beautiful movement- keep water­ways as well as highways clean.

A picnic on a private patio is a lways followed by a clean-up. Too often a picnic in a public par!<, beach or r oadside rest is only followed by litter and fruit peels. Good clean-up is good out­door manners. Support K eep America Beautiful, Inc., in its countrywide effort to conserve our scenic beauty.

Page 15

For More Game-IContinued from page 11

r evenue. But letting it stand can make a field habitable to pheas­ants and rabbits where othen\ise they couldn't survive.

If you have firebug tendencies, remember that scorched earth and game crops don't go together. Brush piled m a fence corner will afford good game cover for years. And a grown-up ditch bank can serve multiple needs of nesting and protective cover for a variety of farm game.

All in all, say the Remington experts, good game management can be thinking small and acting shiftless. Improving the farm for wildlife involves a lot of little things and mostly they are things better left undone.

IOWA'S 1968 FISHING SEASONS AND LIMITS January 1, 1968, to December 31, 1968

INLAND WATERS OF THE STATE BOUNDARY 'VATERS

Daily Posses- Mmimum Catch sion Length or

Kind of Fish: Open Season L imit L imit Weight

Carp, Buffalo, Quillback, Gar, Dogfish, Gizzard Shad, Sheeps­head, Sucker , R edhorse, Chub, Sunfish, Bluegill, Crappie, Sil­ver Bass, Bullhead, Rock Bass, Yellow Bass, W armouth, Min-nows and Sand Sturgeon Continuous

Rock Sturgeon

Paddlefish

Perch

Trout

Catfish

Largemouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass

Walleye and Sauger

Norther n Pike

Muskellunge

F rogs (except Bullfrogs)

Bullfrogs (Rana Catesbeiana)

Closed

Continuous

Continuous

Continuous

Continuous

Continuous

Continuous

April 27 F eb. 15*

April 27 F eb. 15*

Closed

Continuous

Contmuous

-==--===--

None N one None

2 4

25 50

6 12

8 16

5 10

5 10

Combined Combined Walleye Walleye & Sauger & Sauger

5

3

4 doz.

1 doz.

10

6

8 doz.

1 doz.

5 lb.

None

None

None

None

None

None

None

None

None

Mississippi River, Big Sioux River. Missouri River and Inland Waters of Lee County

Same as inland waters.

Closed.

Same as inland waters ex­cept no catch or possession limit on Mississippi River.

Same as inland waters ex­cept no catch or possession limit.

Same as inland waters.

Conlmuous open season, no catch or possession limit.

Largemouth and Smallmouth Black Bass Continuous open season. Aggregate daily catch limit 10 ; aggregate possession limit 20.

Continuous open season. Ag­gregate da ily catch limit 10 ; aggregate possession limit 20.

Con lin u o us open season. Daily catch limit 5; posses­sion limit 10.

Closed.

Same as mland waters.

Same as inland waters.

•In all s treams, Missouri and Mississippi River oxbow Jakes and artificial lakes, a contmuous open se;u;on for Walleye:;, Sauger and N orthern P ike shall apply.

Where waters are located within Lhe confines of state, county, c ity parks, or State Fish & Game Management Areas, fishing will be permitted only when such areas are open to the public.

EXCEPTIONS: On all state-owned natural lakes, all angling through ice is prohibited beLwet>n the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

In Little Spirit Lake, Dickinson County; Iowa and Tuttle (Okamanpedan) L akes, Emmet County. Burt (Swag) Lake, Kos­s uth County; and Iowa Lake, Osceola County, the following shall apply: 1. W ALLEYE--daily catch limit 6, possessiOn limit 6, 2. NORTHERN PIKE-daily catch limit S, p ossession limit S; 3. CATFISH--daily catch limiL 16, posse.~ijion limit 16. Open season on above fish shall be May 11 through February 16. 4. L ARGEI\IOUTH and SMALLMOUTH BASS-daily catch limit 5, possession limit 5. Open season May 26 through November 30. 6. SUNFIS H--daily catch limit 16, possCl!Sion limit 30; continuous. 6 CR APPIE8-daily catch limit i6, possession limit 30; continuous. 7. WHITE BASS daily catch limit 16, possession limit 30; continuous. 8. Spears, and bow and al'row may be used to take carp, buffalo, dogfish, ga1, shct'Jl:>head and quillbnck from sun­rise to sunset during the period May 1 to October 31, inclusive.

The possession limit shall not exceed 60 fish of all kinds in the aggregate except that the ajlgrer ate possession limit shall not apply to fish named on which ther e is n o daily catch limit.

Page 16 IOWA CONSERVA TI ONIST

FISH AND GAME CONSERVATION OFFICERS Sm10nson, Wendt•ll Johnson

Oxford, Inwu 6'.!322 31!J 628- 1113

Name

Kakac, Kennl'th, Supt \ I Fish and Gamc:­Con~en·at ton Offin·r <

Da"is· Ben, SliT'< n isnr I\' t Di,:.trict No. I\

Smith, Curti~ Snt>< n i.,ot· 1\. (District No. 2\

Lemke, Louis, Sutwn isor I\ (District No :1\

~merson, RE'x, Sup;·n isnr 1\ (District No. I)

Olofson, ChnrlC'b Hunter SafetY Ollin•r

Anderson, Maurice Clinton

Angell, Glen Brem<'r, Chit-kiiSU\\

Ashby, Mich:H"I Dickinson

Ashby, We>'lcy Fayette

Baldwin, Jim Clay, O'Brien

Basler, Bill Kossuth

Becker, Jim Buchanan, Dduwan•

Beebe, Bill Louisa

Beecher, \\' eslt>y Jackson

Bruun, Jen:­Cra·wford, :ltonuna

Carter, Harold Clarke, Decutnr

Downing, Bet! Howard, Winntshit•k

Draves, Ronald Davis, Van Buren

Edwards, Leo Hancock, Wright

Entner, Dale Lee

Ford, Larn· Keokuk Mahaska

Handeland, Orlan Linn

Harris, Glenn Warren, Marion

Han·ey, \Valt Marshall

Hayes, Darrell Tama, Benton

Hein, Christie Mills, Montgomt•ry

Heinkel, Galen Franklin, Butler

Hoilien, Jerry Allamakee

Holmes, V erl Palo Altu

Horton, John Clayton

Hoth, John Woodbury

Huff, Lloyd Polk

Jennings, Ermin Muscatine

Johnson, Richard Harrison, Shelby

Judas, James Des Moines, Henry

King, Duane P ottawattamie

Leigh, Ralph Poweshiek, Iowa

Lemke, Lester Adams, Taylor

Macheak, Wilfrid \\'orth, Winnebul(o

Meggers, Jack Cerro Gordo

Messinget·, Steve Jefferson, Wa'lhington

Mineck, Bob Cedar, J one;;

Moats, Bob Emmet

Nelson, Denn i~ Dallas, M adi~on

Newel, Gene P lymouth, Sioux

Oden, Robert WaJ>('llo

P riebe, Donal1l Black Hawk, Gr·undy

Ray, Marlowe Adair, Guthrie

Roemig, Alan Mitchell, Floyd

Rokenbrodt, Floyd Humboldt, Pocahontas

Rowley, Keith Dubuque

Runyan, Mike Jasper

Shipley, Jim Fremont, Pa~re

\ddr~sq

R. 1 .. 0000000000

Elkhl\l·t, Iowa 601Yi3

5011 W. I Ot h StrN't Spencer, Iowa 61301 llO!l E. Fifth Cresco, Io\\ a r.:n:lt> DeSoto, lo\\ a 500ti~t

1115 N l'out th \V ashin~ton, lo\\ I\ »:.!.1:;3 517 E St·cotul Ankeny, I ow:• r,0021

• • • • •

R. I, Box 12~•A Camancht•, Jnwa fi2i30 303 N. Locust . . Xew Hampton, lnw1l li065~l Box 2'33 0000 00

Sptrit Lakc:-, I 1m a ;; I ;lfiO Fayette, Iowa 6211:!

121 \\. Tt•nlh 00

Spencer, Iowa 51:!111 302 E. Collegt• . Algona, Iowa 1\0:i II 512 Fourth Independence, l<>w:\ 50611 128 Hickory Ct. Columbus J Unl.'t ion. l<m 1\ o2i3' 300 High 00

Bellente, Im' a 52031 1~17 ) [nple Dt iH•, Hnx 1!<5 Onawa, lo\\1\ 510111 ;..:w s Pllrk Q,-l.'eola, 1owa 50213 Box 4 Decorah, lo\\ a 521 Ill Box 278 . Keosauqua, Iowa 1\25:!7 714 1st A\eOIH' S.K Clarion, lowa 60a25 2401 A ventuo ''!)" ... Fort Madi.-on, Iowa 521l27 707 E. Plt>asant Valle>" Sigourney, Iowa 52:;~11 Central Cit>·. Iowa :;z:n-1

602 S. Third Indianola, Iowa 5012:; 40i East Linn . 00

Marshalltown, Iowa ;;ol;;!i 606 E. State Toledo, Iowa :;2:112 7 Elm Stn'<'t. Box 329 Glenwood, Iowa 616:!1 1408 Centml Avenu<> E. Hampton, Iowa riOH 1 1203 lsl Slr<>et N W Waukon, Iowa ;,2172 I 03 Call Street Emmetsburg, low;\ 505:!6 Box 181 . oo•oo.

Garna\'illo, Iowa 520-1!1 R. R. ... • . Salix, Iowa ;;1u~.2 2604 :nth Stn·<·t Des MoinM, Iowa 50:1111 2852 Righlan<l Ct. Muscatine, lowll 5271ll 563 N Third Missourt Vnllt•y, Iowa 61555 Box 119, R. 4, Gear Ave. W . West Bul'lingt.on, l owa 52601 1499 Indian Tiills Hoad Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501 Box 127 }';1arengo, Iowa 52301 R. 2 ·-00 00 oo•. • oo• •

Bedford, Io" a 5083:1 Forest City, Iowa 60 136

Box 75 00

Ventura, Iowa 50182 Box 208 Brighton, Iowa 62510 211 lath St., Dox 29 Tipton, Iowa 52772 Box 115 Estherville, Iowa 51 a:H Van Met.<>r, Iowa 602fil

176 S. Mnin Sioux Cc:-nter, Iowa 51250 808 E. Woodlanrl 00.

Ottumwa, low:\ 62501 404. BE'rtch Cedar F alls, Iuwn. 50t;13 509 N. 12th . 00

Guthrie C<•nter, Iowa 50ll5 1020 Maplt> Osage, Iowa 50161 403 Sixth Av1:nue N . 0000 •

Humboldt, Iowa 50548 3192 Kerrigan Road Dubuque, Iowa 52001 R. 2 ..... .... . . Kellogg, Iowa 60136

Office Ext .

5'118

591b

SOl Fremont, R. 1, Box 150 ....... , Shenandoah, Iowa 151601

SP<'I'l', Myron S<·ott

262!1 c .... tnt• :n n :!91- IOfiQ

A rl'f\ Code

f>H>

H ome Phonl'

Hi I -'!.Hi l

Starr, Frank Hu('na Vista, Cherokl'l'

Tt•llier, !<rank

Davt>nport, lown 528111 802 W. Sixth, !lux 102 Storm Lakt•, Iowa fi05XI­Box 13!1 ..

712

51fl

7:!2-5~63

- 21\21 Lyon, Osreola Doon, I own 51235

Tellier, Georgt• Box 110 . :>Hi :;73-250

71~ :,?t;:z ... t ;~~·

~!I !I r; li -:!ta•-.

Calhoun Ttlles, Arrhie

Ringgold, Union Uhlenhake, Mark

Monroe, Appan'"~~'''

Fort Dod1w, Jm, n 50501 1101 Orc.'hlnd DroH• Creston, In\\ u 50,01

515 i ~<2-601;•

R. 1 515 ·i24-35il !)1 5 -..11-21 11~1 \\ agaman, Kt>nn•·t h

Audubon. Cas!'!

J\Inra\ia, lm\a 52f>i1 Box 226 il2 213-12 &

:ll!l Hr,:~-·':;t;n \\ a llace, .1 im Atlantic, lO\\n 50022 Box 32 il2 H57 .. ~;a•

!il6 !IIi 1-.!96 I Ida, Snc \Vil~on, Duam•

L akt> Vit'\', IO\\a 51·150 ,\!den, I uwa 5!Hlllli 515 Sfi!J-i2 11

Hardin, Hamilton Wilson, Warren

Boone, Story \\iltamuth, John

427 Clinton Boone, Iowa 500:16 Box 158 .

515-432-5581

515 877-4321 LucM, W ayne Humeston, luwa 50123

Zmolek, Delbert Carroll, Gn>t•n

405 N. \\'e5t, Box 148 515 386-4234

a 1 ~· 522-255~1 Jeffet'Son, Iowa 50129 ~

of unique bits of nature as it wasl 515- 3!.ll-203i Outdoor Education-712 S:J'i-21101 1Cnntinut'11 from 11nge 141 in the beginning, then we \\"ill

:ll!l

71:l

51:>

1:!5-10111

.,ti2 :wo1

2!l6-:ll:l7

people less prone to htter or de­stroy outdoor facilities. to create m people a sound philosophy about natural resources, and how to

:lln- J:l1-2lll7 measure physical, mental and

:ll'l --i 2!l_25!11 sptritual values o f outdoor recrea-tion \Ve need t o test and evaluate

31\1 ~i2-33UI dtfferent types of equipment, fa-

712 ~23-1591 cilities, management techniques and administr ative procedures In­;,t·, 312-3221 formation for these problems will

31!1 - 511i-2 litl cut costs o f outdoor recreation and

515 2!13-35stt educatwn , yet provide improved opportumty for enriching experi-

515-532-:~3:;3 ence in outdoor use of letsure time

31!1-372-:!513 The Outdoor R ecreation Experi-

515_ 1;22.:15 16 ment Statton proposed f o r Georgia is a progressive step It points the

31!•- I:Jt--fi:H!• way for a system of s t ations on

515 !H;t-3360 a r egwnal b asis. The station will

515 iS:I-b~< ><f provide opportunity for testing equipment and new tdeas and

:;15 - 181-2!167 facilitate s tudies on the e.ffective-

712 527-1188 ness of leadersh•p and outdoor edu­cation on the types of recreation

31 !l ·1 16-2659 desired.

:ll !I - 56R-1102 Each state nee ds one or more

712 852-1!16!1 major centers where the public

:!1!1 !lli 1-2ll!t can come to observe or participate m outdoor recreation activit"

il2 - !116- 1!>52 J Centers where outdoor education

712

515 - 277-!1233 specialists can demonstrate tech­

;11!1_21; 1-to12 niques. Selected parks, for in­stance, should have certain hours

2-35711 t . d d t on cer am pre-announce a es 3l!l 76:1-0297 when specialists would demon-

712_ 328_2786 strate such activities as proper camping, picniCking, and outdoor

319- 2-68!1 cooking techniques Naturalists

712 -523-2278 versed in the latest ways for teach­ing about the wonders and bene-515 (,82-3553 fits of the outdoors s hould be

!its 1\2!1-:la:!:l available in all maJor park-rec-

515- 6\11-3650 reation areas.

319- 886-6725

712 362-2962

li15 :1501

712 - 722-3961

511i 6XI-71l!ll

31 !l :!6t;-2R89

515 7 17 -J002

515 732-:!:107

515- 332-1236

319-682-3351

515-598-8402

712-246-2870

Our Task in tunmary

The task in outdoor education is a colossal one. We are chal­lenged with the job of providing opportunities for worthwhile out­door recreation exp e riences for all p eople who need gutdance in wiser use of leisure time. We must help them keep digmty m outdoor use. We can help them, not only to understand nature, but also to gain healthful experiences and spiritual comfort from outdoor activities. If we can do this and still guarantee the p r eservation

have carried our load in life with dignity and efficiency. Our out­door h eritage is a most precious legacy. L et us keep it that way.

E ditor's Note: Journal Paper Number 5069 of the Iowa Agri­cultural and H ome Economics Ex­periment Station. Project 101 Jointly financed by the I owa State Consen·atJOn Commission, Iowa State Universitv of Science and T(.chnology. the Bureau of Sport l<'tsheries and Wildlife, and the Wildlife M anagement Institute.

Two entues for the 1967 big fish records arrived too late fo1 listing m the January issue of the 10\\' ,\ Co:-- SERVATIOXIST

Rube n Altman. Solon, (below) landed a 22-pound, 6-ounce channe catfish last August at Lake Mc­Bride. It was the largest channe catfish entered for record last year. The "cal" was 36 inches long

The othet big fish was a 12 pound, 14-ounce walleye caught last October by Herbert Aldndge. Spirit Lake It was the largest walleye recorded for 1967 The fish, 3 1 inches long. was taken at Spirit L ake